Michael S. Williams joins N&O college football Week 11 picks for NC schools, ACC games
Like Flightline coming around the turn, C.L. Brown is roaring past the competition into the stretch. His 6-1 week — tied with Chip Alexander — was enough to vault him into the season lead. It was also better than the basketball coach he used to cover, as Roy Williams continued the trend of guest pickers going 4-3, although he was the only person on the panel to correctly pick the Notre Dame-Clemson game.
Another Williams takes on the esteemed News & Observer sports staff this week, and at one point Michael S. Williams was a member of it as a page designer, before moving on to other roles at the N&O a lifetime ago. Now he’s the founder of the Black on Black Project, which challenges conceptions of race and history through art, and a consultant putting on exhibitions across the state — at the moment, that’s in downtown Wilmington, where “Lost in Transition” examines the experience of Black educators before and after segregation.
“I love sharing and hearing perspectives and finding where all of our lives intersect,” Williams said. “Because that creates a better understanding of where we all come from and where we all need to go together as a society.”
He’s also a longtime Duke football season-ticket holder and N.C. Central grad, which will put his loyalties to the test this week.
Previous guest pickers
Rod Brind’Amour: 3-4
Mark Armstrong: 4-3
LeVelle Moton: 5-2
Adam Gold: 6-1
Debbie Antonelli: 4-3
Mary-Ann Baldwin: 4-3
Roy Williams: 4-3
This week’s games
North Carolina at Wake Forest: Will the real Wake Forest please stand up? The two-week meltdown is utterly uncharacteristic for the Demon Deacons under Dave Clawson, where consistency has typically been a virtue. This isn’t all on Sam Hartman, as bad as some of his decisions have been, as he’s been under siege and the running game has fizzled.
The UNC defense continues to improve but struggled to apply pressure even when it had a healthy defensive line, so there may be an opportunity for a get-right game for Hartman. But even if he’s back on his game, Wake will struggle to outscore a North Carolina offense that’s calling its shots right now. And while Drake Maye is going to win all the ACC awards – and deservedly so – it’s also hard to shake the nagging suspicion that he might not be the best player on his own team. Josh Downs is that good. N&O consensus: Tar Heels clinch Coastal as Deacons’ descent deepens.
Williams says: “Wake Forest is going to win this game coming off that loss to N.C. State. I know UNC has the highest-scoring offense in the conference but it’s the worst scoring defense and Wake scores the ball a ton. They’ll avenge that loss.”
Boston College at N.C. State: Two freshman quarterbacks thrust unexpectedly into starring roles, albeit for teams going different directions. It’s easy to say that N.C. State should have let MJ Morris cook as far back as the Syracuse game, but it’s hard to know what his grasp of the offense was like at that point. As with the improving Wolfpack receivers, reps matter.
This shouldn’t be difficult for the Wolfpack, at Carter-Finley, with a chance to break a 47-year-old school record for consecutive home wins, but that’s also the kind of scenario that’s so often tripped up N.C. State in the past. N&O consensus: Wolfpack gets win No. 8.
Williams says: “MJ Morris is going to keep it rolling against BC. Boston College gives up way too many points.”
Virginia Tech at Duke: The Hokies won the ACC basketball championship! Duke’s a double-digit favorite in football! Up is down, black is white, night is day. What is true here is that while not every coaching hire can or should be judged immediately, Mike Elko took over a program that certainly appeared to be in much worse shape than Brent Pry and has it in contention for a division title — for the moment, at least.
Duke’s playing with house money now. Riley Leonard is in a groove. Virginia Tech had a 21-3 lead at N.C. State late in the third quarter and lost. This isn’t complicated. N&O consensus: It’s not fully basketball season in Durham yet.
Williams says: “Virginia Tech gives up way too many yards and Riley Leonard keeps it rolling. Wallace Wade will not be rocking because it’s Duke’s first noon game, but Duke will get the victory.”
N.C. Central at Norfolk State: The Eagles got the help they needed. South Carolina State dropped two in a row after its upset of NCCU and N.C. Central hasn’t looked back since. The MEAC title belongs to the Eagles with a win in the Tidewater, since their final game is a nonconference visit to Tennessee Tech. A prime-time matchup with Prime Time in the Celebration Bowl is nearly at hand. N&O consensus: NCCU takes care of business.
Williams says: “My beloved Eagles, coming off that half a hundred on Howard at homecoming, are just going to keep it rolling.”
East Carolina at Cincinnati: The Pirates still have a shot at the AAC championship game if they win out and UCF loses once, so there’s everything to play for still. With Houston at home next week, this Friday night visit to Cincinnati is the highest hurdle ECU will have to clear. A tough ask, to be sure, but it has to go better for the Pirates there than it did for the Panthers. Right? N&O consensus: Bearcats growl.
Williams says: “I mean, the parents met at ECU, so I got to go with ECU. But I keep thinking about Keaton Mitchell closing in on 1,000 yards and the hometown guy Holton Ahlers balling, too.”
Florida State at Syracuse: The Orange continues to spiral, losing three straight since the home win over N.C. State. This one’s in the dome, too, but it feels like the good feelings have gone right out the revolving doors. Meanwhile, the Seminoles absolutely pounded Georgia Tech and Miami, and after a swoon of their own appear to be closer to the team they thought the were to start the season. N&O consensus: Florida State over upstate NY.
Williams says: “Mike Norvell’s got these guys in a bowl. They feel pretty good. Jordan Travis is rolling. Just beat Miami, beat ‘em handily. Syracuse only had 125 yards against Pitt. That’s not going to work against Florida State.”
Louisville at Clemson: For how vulnerable the Tigers looked at times early in the year, Notre Dame finally seemed to expose every single weakness. Is the Clemson mystique finally punctured? The way Louisville played against Wake Forest two weeks ago — and having taken care of James Madison, a stronger opponent than either of the ACC’s teams in Virginia — the Cardinals might be in position to capitalize. N&O consensus: Clemson’s still the team to beat
Williams says: “Clemson’s on a slide and Louisville’s won four in a row. I’m telling you, these running backs for Louisville — Tiyon Evans and Jahwar Jordan — they get yards when they touch the ball.”
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This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 6:10 AM with the headline "Michael S. Williams joins N&O college football Week 11 picks for NC schools, ACC games."
